Prepayment mechanism



J, PRINCE PREPAYMENT MECHAN I S M l 5 Sheets-Sheet l v Filed Dec. 20,1934 .June 23, 1936., J. PRINCE PREPAYMENT MECHAISM Filed Deo. 20, 19343 Sheets-Sheet 2 COIN REGL TER s. @E

PENNIES unl/SEB I l Jume23,1936. J, PRINCE M5300 PREPAYMENT MECHANISMFiled Dec. 20, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Illll' Illlll Patented June 23,1936 UNITED STATES PREPAYMENT MECHANI SM John Prince,v Hollnwood,England, assigner to Ferranti Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application December 20, 1934, Serial No. 758,498

4In Great Britain December 21, 1933 8 Claims. (01.'194-72) Thisinvention relates to prepayment mechanism of the type wherein acoin-receiving mem.- ber adapted to receive any of a plurality ofpredetermined coins of different denomination conveys motionto settingor release mechanism, which may elect movement of the credit section ofa differential gear, means such asa moto-r mechanism being adapted toreturn the setting mechanism to' a zero position which may also causecontrolling means to cut off the supply of the commodity when thequantity supplied corresponding to the payment made has been expended.The invention is particularly but not exclusively applicable toprepayment electricity meters.

Prepayment mechanism of the type referred to above has been proposedwherein' in order to set setting mechanism in accordance with the valueof a coin inserted in the apparatus, a rod constituting a rotary coinreceiving member is movedA axially without rotation uuntil al disc ontherod by engaging the edgeof the coin' causes the rod to be arrestedina position bringing the appropriate gear member lthereon into meshwith a first gear member and causing thecoin to move a coin chamber tounlock a further disc whereupon the rod can be rotatedwithout axialmovement to operate the setting mechanism.

The main object of the present invention is to provide improved' orsimplified means for effecting and controlling the movement of therotary coin-receivingr member and for conveyingmotion therefrom tosetting or release mechanism actuated thereby. i

Referring to the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a form of prepaymentmechanism embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan thereof.

Figures 3, 4 and 6 are vertical cross sections of part of an electricitymeterembodying said mechanism. i

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 1. v

Figure '7 is a front view of of the meter with cover removed.

` Figure 8` is a front elevation of the coin-receiving casing vshowing aform of coin support plate. j

Figure 9 is a sectional plan of part of the arrangement of Figure 8.

Figures 10 to 18 are views of modiecldetails,

Vand A In carrying the invention into effect according to one formillustrated in Figures l to 9 as applied by way of example to aprepayment elec- .tricity Vmeter, I provide a slottedrotarycoinreceiving member I mounted on bearings in a fixed casing or barrel2, the top of which latter is furnishedvwith a cover 3 whichconveniently may be removable as shown. Slidably carried upon saidrotary coin-receiving member I is a toothed wheel 4 which is constantlyurged towards an operating handle I4 by a Compression spring 31 yandwhich is rigid with a pair of cams 5, 6, one of these cams (6) embodyingthree swell portions and the other (5) four such portions. In additionthe toothed Wheel 4 is furnished with an axial projection 1, the purposeof which is explained below.

Also slidably mounted on the rotary coin-receiving member I is aU-shaped member 8 urged towards an operating knob spring 36 andfurnished at one end with two co- `axially mounted rollers 9, I0 and atthe other end with a roller II. A cylindrical cam I2 comprising a shorttube in which a somewhat U-shaped notch has been cut to form a camsurface is iixed d with its axis perpendicular to the stationary barrel2; this cam surface is engaged by the roller 9.

A familiar similar cylindrical cam I3 but having two diametricallyopposite somewhat V-shaped `notches forming two cam surfaces is mountedconcentric with and within the said fixed cylindrical cam I2 and isrotationally rigid with the operating knob I4; the two cam surfaces areengaged by the rollers I Il and II.

, As will be seen from Figure 19 the surface of the cam I2 is level fromthe point marked a to the point marked bi. The face of the cam thenyslopes downwards along the part marked 35 to a minimum position e. 1

There is then a slight rise to d and then a further fall to a newminimum position e from which itrises steeply to the level surface .atpoint a. In operation the roller 9, which inthe at rest position is inthe hollow at e, rides up .the inoline from e to a so causing. theU-shaped member tornove longitudinally Vaway from the operating-knob. Inthe meantime the rollers I0 and II ride up the V-shaped notches formedin the cam I3 so providing a rotational movement.

When the coin-receiving member rotates through 180o the roller 9 hasreached the povk-sition b on the cam and will then travel down thes1ope-35 towards the `barrel 2. This enables the I4 by a tension J CII'the coin after its insertion.

The reason for the slight rise from c to d is to prevent the apparatusfrom operating if the knob I4 is rotating in the reverse direction inwhich case the roller 9 would hit against the surfaces d e and preventrotation.

Any one of the axially slidable cams 5, 6 or the axial projection 1 isadapted selectively according to the diameter of the coin inserted to bebrought into alignment with a tappet rod I5 connected to settingmechanism so that actuation of this latter mechanism may be effected incorrespondence with the value of the coin.

Mounted rigidly upon the rotary coin-receiving member I is a cam I6engaging a further tappet I'I by means of which the closing of a switchI8 may be effected and associated with this cam I6 is a pawl I9 engaginga ratchet wheel IS xed to the stationary barrel 2; the ratchet wheel I9abeing partly cut away at its periphery over-an arc corresponding to amovement of the pawl from its zero position through about 90 in order toenable partial reversal of the rotary coin-receiving member I incircumstances explained below.

Pivotally mounted upon the rotary coin-receiving member I is aspring-urged curved ap 2D (Figures l and 2) this flap serving to supportIn Figures 8 and l9 the arrangement of curved flap is shown, such flap26 being mounted upon a spindle 2| rotated under the urge of a releasearm 22 mounted rigidly upon a further spindle 23 passing to the exteriorof the stationary barrel cover. The exterior portion 24 of this furtherspindle 23 is formed in the shape of a screw head and is sunk ush withthe casing. The head is provided with a slot as shown of sucient widthto enable the edge of any particular coin to be inserted in order torotate it.

Rotation of this further spindle 23 causes the arm 22 to bear againstthe spring-urged curved nap 2D, which latter rocks about its pivot 2I topermit the coin to drop. By arranging the screw head as described, itcannot be accidentally rotated so avoiding dropping wanted coins.

The cover 3 of the stationary coin barrel 2 carries a slotted spindle25, the slot 26 in which is capable of registering with a slot 2'I inthe cover or the spindle 25 is capable of closing said slot, and rigidwith this spindle is a member embodying a series of normally shapedtoothed wheel elements 28, 29 and 30, the number of such elements beingequal to the number of coins capable of -actuating the apparatus, therebeing not less than two such elements. Vis associated with a furtherseries of single toothed This series of elements locking pinions 3l, 32,33 and 34, the number of these pinions being one more than the number ofnormally shaped toothed wheel elements. 'I'he normally shaped toothedwheel elements 28, 29, 30 are adapted to engage the toothed wheel 4which is axially slidable on the rotary coin-re- ,ceiving member I, andthe arrangement is such that the said axially slidable toothed wheel 4can used indicator dials 6U and a money inserted indicating device 6I.In connection with the said indicator and counting device I providesuitable means, such as a spring-urged roller wheel 62 against the fixedcam I2; this latter is so shaped that the rotary movement of the knob isconverted into an axial movement of the U-shaped member with which iscombined a slight rotational movement the resulting movement of theU-shaped member being thus helical. This latter movement owing to themeshing of the wheel 4 with the locking pinion 34 slightly rotates thespindle 25 to eiect closure of the coin slot. The U-shaped member bearsagainst the edge of the coin and thus in turn moves axially the toothedwheel t'.A and movable cams 5, 6 and axial extension 1 rigid therewithuntil a position is reached Vin which the axial extension 'I on thetoothed wheel comes into register with the first-mentioned tappet rod.The toothed wheel is also now in register with the normally shapedtoothed wheel element 28 and continued rotation of the knob I4 noweffects pure rotation of the rotary coinreceiving member I, and alsoallows the roller 9 to run along the incline 35 on the xed cam I2 and sopermit the U-shaped member 8 to move axially towards the knob I4suiciently to enable the penny to fall into the coin container.1mmediately after this takes place the rotary member I willl havereached a position such that the axially movable toothed wheel becomesfreed and Vcan therefore `move axially under the influence of its spring31 into the position it originally occupied before insertion of thecoin.

A similar action takes place upon insertion of either a sixpence or ashilling except that the corresponding cam 5 or 6 is brought intoengagement with the tappet rod I5 and the latter is thrust forward threeor four times according to the number of swell portions on thecorresponding cams so that the total displacement of the tappet rod isproportional to the value of the coin inserted.

Unless a coin of predetermined denomination and intact in diameter beinserted the axially movable toothed wheel will not be brought intoengagement with one of the normally shaped toothed elements in thecasing cover and consequently rotation of the toothed wheel (except foran initial movement) will be impossible. Should a coin of incorrectdiameter be inserted and operationvof the knob lI4 be attempted thetoothed wheel 4 will be thrust insuciently far or too far (according towhether the coin is of decient Yor excessive diameter) to engage thecorresponding normally shaped toothed wheel element but willengageinstead one of the locking pinions which will permit a small degree ofrotation only.

yThe arrangement is such, however, that suiicient reverse rotation ofthe knob is permitted, due to the smooth part of the xed ratchet I9a inthe stationary casing, to enable the said coin to be allowed to dropinto the coin receptacle upon actuation of the curved flap 20 byoperation of 'the head 24.

y Instead of providing a detachable cover for the coin-receivingchamber, the cover may be formed in one therewith as is indicated inFigure 10.

Means for closure of the slot 21 after insertion of a coin additional tothe closure eiected by the spindle 25 may be employed such as areillustrated in Figures 11 and 12 according to which a i'lap 38 hinged at39 to a bearing member 40 is provided and a member 4I is furnished onthe coin-receiving member I, the arrangement being such that except inthe Zero position, as indicated in Figure 11, Vthe flap 38 is lifted asin Figure 12 to close the coin slot.

As an alternative to providing a pair of cams and a projection foroperating the setting tappet I5, cams 5, B and 42 alone may be employedas indicated in Figure 13 or projections 43, 44, 45, Figures 14 and 15.

In the latter arrangement the projections are alternatively brought intoengagement with one end of a lever 46 pivoted at 4l, this lever being inturn connected to a tappet rod I by means of a pin 48 and slot 49.

When cams are employed these may either be furnished with two or moreswell portions as in Figure 6 whereby the total forward movementimparted to the tappet I5 is made up of more than one component impartedthereto during one revolution of the operating knob or with cams havingsingle swell portions, as indicated in Figure 18.

In order to prevent the possibility of rotating the coin-receivingmember through more than one revolution for any individual coin inserteda locking device may be provided of which a convenient form isillustrated in Figures 16 and 17.

In these gures a sliding carriage 50 is mounted on one side of the xedcasing or barrel 2 and is urged by means of a tension spring 5I to movelongitudinally in a direction away from the operating knob I4 and torest against a face of the member 4.

The carriage is furnished with two abutments 52, 53 which are adapted toco-operate with a projecting arm 54 rigidly mounted on the coinreceivingmember I.

Before a coin is inserted the abutment 52 lies in the path of theprojecting arm but when a coin is inserted and the projecting armrotated the abutment 52 by a slight movement in the same direction asthat of the toothed member 4 moves out of the path of the projecting armand enables the latter to perform one rotation. If at the end of thisrotation the member 4 has not been released so as to return to its zeroposition, the abutment 53 will stand in the path of the projecting armand thus prevent further rotation of the coin-receiving member but if asnormally occurs the member 4 correctly returns to its zero position,then the carriage is moved back to its initial position in which theabutment 52 co-operates with the projecting arm.

I claim:

1. Prepayment mechanism comprising a carrier member, bearingsrestricting movement thereof to rotation about a fixed axis, a memberaxially slidable on but rotationally rigid with said car- 5 rier member,a further member axially slidable on but rotationally rigid with saidcarrier member, manual operating means, bearings restricting movementthereof to pure rotation, motion resolving means between said manualoperating means and said first named axially slidable member impartingboth rotational and axial movement components to said iirst namedaxially slidable member and thence by way of a coin inserted betweensaid axially slidable members imparting an axial movement component tosaid further axially slidable member, setting mechanism and a pluralityof means rigid with said further axially slidable member individuallyactuating said setting mechanism.

2. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one ofsaid means rigid with the further axially slidable member comprises acam.

3. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one ofsaid means rigid with the further axially slidable member comprises aprojection which coacts with a lever.

4. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said furtheraxially slidable member 30 comprises a toothed wheel co-operating withany of a plurality of normally shaped toothed elements and any of aplurality of single toothed locking pinions rigidly mounted on a slottedspindle. 5. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 including slotclosing means comprising a slotted rotatable rod rigid with a pluralityof normally shaped toothed wheel elements and with a plurality of singletoothed locking elements, one of said elements being always in mesh withteeth on said further axially slidable member.

6. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 including a pawlassociated with said carrier and a iixed ratchet wheel, part of theperiphery of which is toothless, co-operating with said pawl.

7. Prepayment mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said motionresolving means comprises a cylindrical cam. 8. Prepayment mechanism asclaimed in claim 1 including automatic motion arresting means associatedwith said carrier member serving to prevent more than one rotation ofthe carrier 55 member with any individual inserted coin.

JOHN PRINCE.

